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Monday, 28 November 2016

I don't know a great deal about Swindon, apart from that they have a football team. Now I find you they have a pretty decent music scene too. It turns out that Eternal Lord came from Swindon as well as The Argent Dawn, so Heriot's got pretty big shoes to fill. This hardcore/doom trio released their debut EP exactly a month ago now and with a slot at Bloodstock already under their belts, they're looking to build momentum into 2017. The EP has been released via Slow God Records and the band themselves.

Heriot plays angry and heavy hardcore, with a slow and gloomy undercurrent. It’s good to hear a UK band taking on the more extreme end of hardcore again and EP opener Myrr is definitely.a winner in my book. There’s more to this trio’s music than just ‘core of course, with plenty of sludge-filled atmosphere. They show their more angular side on China Lake, which is filled with great riffs and deeps roars. There’s some beatdown poking through the murk as well, but it doesn’t overpower the song. Kleptocracy is the perfect way to wash those Monday blues out of your system. There’s a spacey feel to the first half of the song, while the second is just pure slow-mosh. Their ability to craft intense atmosphere is accentuated on the closing title-track. It paints a grim picture of the world in which we currently live and takes their doom-laden sound to a more than logical conclusion. Heriot ain’t messing about and I’m glad. They are the best soundtrack for the end of a year that’s left a bitter taste in the mouths of many. They should be heralded and applauded for that. Awesome indeed.

Saturday, 26 November 2016

Cult US record label Magic Bullet are about to celebrate their 20th anniversary and as part of those celebrations they're putting out a number of special releases. A reissue of the 2005 Danzig tribute split featuring Coliseum and Doomriders is one of those releases (it was actually officially released last week) . Featuring brand new artwork by Florian Bertmer, this 7" contains one song from each band. This series by Magic Bullet is their way of giving something back to the band and musicians that inspired them and also to the fans that have supported them along the way. Readers here should be familiar with both Coliseum and Doomriders. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that both bands were influenced by Danzig. Coliseum’s version of Am I Demon is a gloriously noisy, groovy affair. Taking from their punk/stoner roots and adding horror-addled rock n roll for good measure, in a way that Danzig would appreciate. Doomriders take on Possession with off-kilter, noise-rock vibes aplenty. There’s a lot of old-school punk rock swagger in their rendition too. A beer swilling, chain smoking two-song tribute to one of punk rock’s biggest bands is reason enough to pick up a copy of this.

You can stream and purchase the 7" directly from Magic Bullet Records below:-

Tuesday, 22 November 2016

It's great to see band's that you've reviewed in the past, when they were on their first demo/EP, getting noticed and going onto bigger things. That's what's happened to Arizona's Gatecreeper. I was lucky enough to be able to review their debut self-titled EP back in 2014 and since then they've released three split records and have been snapped up by Relapse Records, which has culminated in the release of their debut full-length. They're playing Power Of The Riff in L.A. in December, supporting the mighty Neurosis. The death metal housed within this record has been getting rave reviews too, so I'm not gonna waste any more time writing this intro...

It seems as though Gatekeeper has taken on a whole new level of heavy. Craving Flesh opens "Sonoran Depravation" with old-school blasts, crushing guitars and low-growls that come straight from the pit of the stomach (or hell depending on your persuasion). There’s a martial industrial thing going on during Sterilized, which seems kind of apt considering the title. It’s label with groove during the opening bars before giving way to pit-inducing hardcore. The mid-paced tempo doesn’t even dilute it. Thankfully though, you don’t have to wait long for something altogether faster, Desperation sees Gatecreeper taking their death/grind peers head-on and winning thanks to menacing lead riffs and a stench of Death (the band). I was bowled over when I first head Noisem’s debut album and while Gatekeeper come from a less thrashy angle, the feeling is still the same when listening to this. Rotting As One is the sort of the song that will put an evil grin on your face and a glint in your eye. Everything just gets heavier on Stronghold, though I’m not sure how that’s possible. The twin-guitar harmonies give a nice nod to heavy metal’s past as well. The Sonoran Desert is a pretty inhospitable place and that must have surely provided some inspiration for Patriarchal Grip. It’s creeping riffs and squalid feedback are all too nightmarish. The whirlwind that grows out of it is equally as horrid, with ridiculous double-bass drumming and buzzsaw-guitars. It’s hard to images being Lost Forever, but you’ll catch a glimpse of the madness that will engulf you if you do by listening to the song. It’s a modern masterpiece of heavy precision. If Metallica were to replace James Hetfield with Jeff Walker from Carcass, what’s created may sound something like Flamethrower. As cheesy as that statement may sound, it’s not too inaccurate given the thrash-like overtones of the song. Gatecreeper doesn’t take their foot off the gas on closing song Grotesque Operations either. They hammer their point home with power and aggression, as well as a whole lot of atmosphere. It’s not often that a band unleashes and debut full-length with this kind of power and impact. Gatekeeper deserves all the praise they are getting and more. No posing or posturing here, just straight-up riff worship and heavy times.

Stream "Sonoran Depravation" and grab it digitally, on cd and on vinyl below:-

Monday, 21 November 2016

The current crop of UK metal/hardcore bands keeps growing. Birmingham (UK) quartet Light The Skies released their second EP "Human" in October. They cut their teeth playing alongside many of their peers on stages around the UK since they formed in 2013. By the way, don't be too worried about that "Parental Advisory" sticker, they're not bringing back nu-metal!

Light The Skies kick off with some heavy hardcore on opening track Animals, but it’s their clean vocals that set them apart from their peers. There’s an unwillingness to play by the usual blueprint and their rhythms and instrumentation stays on the right side of djent. They take cues from Mallory Knox during Distractions and will no doubt have strong crossover appeal, thanks to melody they employ. It’s certainly slickly produced, even if they rely slightly on electronic effects. Acclimate takes post-hardcore and gives it yet another modern twist. It’s really catchy. I’m a sucker for the old-school, but I realise that times change and god knows there’s been enough change in this scene in recent years. There’s a organic live vocal sound present on Looking Back, which creeps through during the initial verse, coupled with heavy riffs and some gang-style vocal harmonies make it pretty exhilarating. They lay their pop-sensibilities bare on acoustic number Ourselves, though it’s got subtle nods to Incubus within it’s time-signatures. They end “Human” with probably the best song on the EP. Distance is really well-written and it’s pop-punk edge makes it really listenable. Light The Skies are a lot more original than I was expecting them to be and the variation that’s achieved here is definitely key to that. They are destined for better things if they continue in their vein.

The cold is taking hold here and I'm full of food and beer, to keep myself warm of course! Talking of keeping warm, Floridian heavy band Junior Bruce has a new record out. I say warm because staring at the cover art is like staring into hell itself. "Endless Descent" is currently available digitally via the band but it's due out shortly on vinyl via A389 Recordings. Enjoy!

Instantly this album makes me think about all of the awesome gigs I’ve been too. Opener Lapis Philosophorum seems like it’s borrowing from the likes of Crowbar and Down but it’s oh so much more than that. Junior Bruce is one of those bands that can pull this sound off without it sounding cliche. There are swathes of psychedelia and heavy metal flowing through it and that’s fine with me. There’s blasts aplenty on Lion’s Teeth, but not the sort that will turn you off. They keep the pace high and the groove flowing. It’s also the song in which their lead work shines. Musically they’re on a higher plane than the aforementioned bands though. Thirteen Zeros is full of heavy metal flourishes and nods to the old-school. They do atmosphere too, like at the beginning of Of The Deep. What follows is heavy as hell and so much fun. The war fuzziness you feel when listening to Of The Earth is matched it’s guitar sound. The off-time nature of The Worthless Ones is subtle yet as the song progresses, it takes over and buries itself in your head. Musically, there’s not a huge amount of melody going on in the verses but who cares really. If you can’t head-bang and groove along to it then there’s something wrong with you. The feedback that closes it out flows into Interlude, with it’s strangely mystical guitar melodies. Night Hag is a slow-burn that paints a picture. The concept of this record is about a person trying to rescue somebody they love from an abyss full of demons that ends up consuming them (or something along those lines anyway) and this song seems to drag you into said abyss. After that Lesser Key seems almost uplifting with it’s more up-tempo pace. Junior Bruce calls time with the restrained yet extremely bass-heavy title-track, feedback and all. it takes their doom-influence and turns it up x100. It’s a huge ending to the record and well worth waiting for. It seems as though it’s all been leading up to this point for Junior Bruce and with “Endless Descent”, their time has come. You will not be disappointed with this.

You can steam and purchase "Endless Descent" as a digital download here:-

Wednesday, 16 November 2016

With so many bands releasing new music, with PR companies that have global reach and people that are better connected that ever thanks to the Internet and social media, it's not easy for bands from less populous countries to get their music out to new listeners. That's certainly the case for Faroese doom/death band Hamferd. Their album "Evst" was released in 2013 and their label TUTL Records is still on a mission to get it out there, hence this review. Hamferd started life in 2008. They released their debut EP "Vilst Er Siesta Fet" in 2010 and performed at Wacken Open Air two years later, due to winning the Wacken Metal Battle competition that year. They are currently in the process of writing a new record.

The dramatic atmosphere of album opener Evst is clearly influenced by the landscape around Hamferd. The song’s mixture of low-growls, melodic leads and majestic clean vocals certainly makes you pay attention. It’s not just a run-of-the-mill doom/death record, that’s for sure. The lyrics are also in their native tongue, which further adds to their mystique and charm. Deydir Vardar has elements of the solitary doom of bands like Sentenced and Moonspell, mixed with more traditional layers. It’s quieter verses make the clean vocals stand out even more and at times they seem more operatic during the chorus. It would have been a special moment seeing Hamferd live at Wacken and when listening to their doom/death, you can almost picture it. Vid Teimum Kvirru Grau’s lengthy instrumental intro gives way to song with great ceremony and bombast. I am taken a back by this record. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first but even only three songs in, I’m in awe of what Hamferd has created. As the album progresses it becomes more mournful and even peaceful at times. At Jarda Tey Elskadu is semi-acoustic and is incredibly haunting as a result. It seamlessly flows into penultimate song Sinnisloysi, which is resplendent with orchestral strings. The percussion and guitars that sit above them are super heavy, as are the deathly growls and tortured screams. The female vocals that adorn the song sound like a kind of scary siren, beckoning seamen and their boats closer to the rocks! Album closer Ytst promises to justify it’s ten+ minute length. It starts off in a measured way, but there’s a sense of anticipation flowing through it. When the full band kicks in that anticipation finally overflows. Piano is heard for the first time here and all of Hamferd’s many elements come together to create something truly special. I guess “special” is quite a pertinent word for this record because it’ll blow you away. Its crazy to think that there are hidden gems like Hamferd all over the globe, but somehow many of them get missed. This isn’t one of those occasions though and this band is worthy of much greater things.

You can view the video for Deydir Vardar and hear more from Hamferd via their website - http://www.hamferd.com

I'm so happy to be able to bring you the second instalment of "Recollection" so soon after the first. I've been blown a way by how positively it's been received and am already sorting a third. I really want to keep this going. Today's instalment comes from Alex, who's behind the (We Built The World And) Miss The Stars blog as well as Miss The Stars Records and Miss The Stars Fest in Berlin. He's written about his ten favourite records below:-

Danse Macabre - 'die Kritik ist keine Leidenschaft des Kopfes"

A record that changed my life and it's still my favourite screamo record of all time. DM killed it in every single way.

Antitainment – "Nach der Kippe Pogo?!"

11 songs of weird, fast, well-written and arranged Nintendo-hardcore-Casio-metal-punk. A hybrid that will leave you speechless.

The Get Up Kids - "Four Minute Mile"

Second wave screamo at its best – every damn song is a hit. What more could you want, what more could you ask for?“

Captain Planet – "Wasser kommt. Wasser geht."

Probably the record I've listened the most. Moving and intense punk rock from Germany.

I love Totalitär, Dropdead, Charles Bronson, Spazz and so on from the bottom of my heart but nothing beats this record - It's absolute flawless. Fast, raw and heavy as hell.

Jet Black – "The Dead End"

The reason why I've named my blog/records/fest “We built the world and miss the stars” - it's a quote from a song called 48h. This record is full of screamo-classics. Forever in my heart.

Converge – "Jane Doe"

Classic hardcore record that probably everyone knows haha. It's a hit-record from front to back – with highly emotional lyrics and pissed off tunes/vocals. Legendary.

Protest The Hero – "Kezia"

"Kezia" is somehow special to me – got a kinda indescribable love for this record. It's super catchy, highly melodic and all in all a great concept record.

A Fire Inside - "The Art of Drowning"

The Lost Souls, Ever and a Day, Morningstar - it's just a perfect punk record and AFI in general will always have a place in my heart.

I just want to say thanks to Alex for taking the time to write about his favourite albums. I've put links below so you can check out his blog, label and the festival he's involved with (which, looks amazing!):-

Sunday, 13 November 2016

This is a brilliant little split record. Released in September via Middle-Man Records, Fake Crab Records and Time As A Color, it's possibly one of the shortest splits I've reviewed. The record itself is translucent neon green (there's also a red version), with a centre sticker featuring the members of both bands posing in a beach shot and a painted b-side. The shot was recreated on the record's cover with their heads stuck on different bodies and inside there's two baseball cards featuring the lyrics, band info and credits. Such a cool idea.

Both Gillian Carter and Coma Regalia are extremely well respected and getting to hear them both on the same release is quite something. Gillian Carter’s addition The Novelty Of Joy is sixty seconds of beautifully chaotic yet melodic screamo. The King Of Slings takes the hardcore that Coma Regalia is known for and injects it with plenty of punk. Obviously a 6” vinyl release is always going to have pretty obvious limitations but when it’s this cool and the music is spot on, what does it matter.

Last night I posted on social media about a couple of record pre-orders I'd picked up Boss Tuneage Records. I posted about it because the pre-orders were part of Boss Tuneage's "Made To Order" series, where they only press the amount of copies that have been ordered. I thought this approach was pretty clever from the label an it got me thinking about whether or not it could be way forward for bands and labels with limited funds and whether it might help to solve pressing plant capacity issues and release time delays.

Independent labels and bands alike will tell you that there's a shortage of pressing plants, which is indeed true. The so-called "vinyl resurgence" has meant that pressing plants are struggling to cope with demand and thanks to the shambles know as "Record Store Day" many smaller labels are seeing their orders pushed down the list and delayed horribly due to the volumes demanded by major labels.

This creates an issue because a lot of smaller labels and bands don't have the income to invest in a run of records, that they then have to wait two-three months for to be pressed and then are stuck with dilemma of whether to start pre-orders so soon or risk not receiving a return on their investment or income to help with other expenses.

For a single label or band wanting to release 300-500 records, they're looking at a significant financial outlay. One way that some bands have been raising funds is through the use of Crowd-funding. However; it isn't viewed by many as a popular way to buy records and in nature it also leads to delays in people getting the finished product, because usually a band wants to reach a set target financially before they send a release to press.

This is where I think Boss Tuneage's "Made To Order" model is quite an innovative solution. They put a release up for sale online for a set period. Once that period is up they count up the total orders, send the record to press and then send the finished product out. There are no represses and they know exactly what their financial outlay will be before they start. It's more effective for a label to do this than say A) press such a small number of records that they sell out so fast, then command a ridiculous price online later on or B) press too many in the hope that they'll sell, only to be unable to break even and be left with too many records that take up space.

I'd be really interested in hearing your views on this issue, whether you run a label, are in a band or are just a fan that buys records. Thanks for reading.

Thursday, 10 November 2016

I'm starting to get pretty excited about my week of next week. I'll hopefully be able to dedicate more time to this blog and catch up with e-mails etc (in between bouts of DIY). Before that though, I wanted to put my energy into listening to something new and I stumbled across solo black metal band Seltar while scanning my inbox. it turns out that German label Heather Tribes Records has released a tape featuring this EP and Seltar's following full-length "Are Teike" on tape. Both were previously self-released in 2015. I've decided to split that release in half, reviewing the EP this evening and then following up with the full-length next week. I don't know a huge amount about Seltar (as the sole member remains very secretive); however, the band was formed in 2015 and takes influence from the Iberian language and heritage, normally found in Spain and Portugal.

"Declaración MMXV" begins with chilling and isolated guitar melodies on Gloria Antigua, before settling alongside spacey ambience. When the music gets heavier it regales the likes of Twilight Fauna, Caina (R.I.P) and Wolves In The Throne Room in various ways. The soundscape created is huge and the screams of sole-member Invierno sit deep in the mix, allowing the instrumentation to take centre stage. This is ambient black metal at it’s most pure, without silly Satanic pretence. Second song En Rostros De Lobo is equally as breathtaking. It further shows how good both the composition and production are on this release. It certainly doesn’t sound like it’s the work of just one person. The melodies that are present conjure images of being stop atop a snow-covered mountain with nothing around except sky, land and tranquillity. There’s not much more to say about this other than that it’s hard to find peace in extreme music for many, but here you’ll find it. Great band and a great find.

Tuesday, 8 November 2016

Next up on my neglected physical review pile was this 7" from Long Island punks Rations. Released in July 2013 as an international collaboration between 30 record labels and pressed on 1000 copies. It highlights the cooperation of friends and creatives witihin the international punk scene and it was a great way to make sure that Rations got heard by as many people as possible, globally. Rations themselves have been quiet for a couple of years and this 7" was their last physical release. Anyway, this record is a celebration of punk values no matter how long ago it came out.

Rations plays the kind of garage/gruff punk that belongs in sweaty pub dives. It’s loud, brash but you can still sing along to it. Leaves Of Grass is their rallying cry, filled with noise and riffs. Behind that noisy exterior though there is a lot of melody. The guitar work during Occasion For War is kind of at odds with the vocals but it all works really well. They tap into what’s missing from modern day punk on My Magnificent Sea, even if it’s only fleeting. During their pulsing moments of noise, I’d liken them to a less ferocious version of Full Of Hell, but I realise that comparison is kinda stupid. (No More) Warheads is their angry protest song and while vocals are used sparingly, it still means something. Talking of angry anti-establishment song, The Profiteers could be the mid-paced middle finger that America needs right now (especially when aimed at Trump). Relived/Replayed rounds out “Martyrs And Prisoners” with killer rhythm and rock n roll nonchalance. This 7” is the antithesis of everything that’s going on in the world right now. While it seems that it’s every man for himself in the rat race, punks like Rations and the labels/people that helped them release this are doing great things, cooperating with people they’ve never met and just being friendly. That’s the aim right?

You can stream "Martyrs And Prisoners" and pick it up as a name-your-price download below:-

Monday, 7 November 2016

This is a bit of a milestone for me in terms of moving the blog forwards. I've been wanting to kick off a feature where band members and/or label owners talk about their favourite record(s) for a while. Shaun (from UK emo-violence/screamo bands Thisismenotthinkingofyou, Yuri and record label Adorno Records) answered my call and here we are. I had intended for him to only write about the one record, as you'll see further down but you get ten instead and in case you were wondering (you probably weren't), I came up with the title for this feature by splicing together "Record" and "Collection". I'll get my coat...

S H-H: I was approached by James a few weeks ago to write about my most influential record in my collection. At first I was honoured to be able to ramble incoherently about music on This Noise Is Ours, then I realised how hard this would be and immediately started begging James to make it a top ten. After much crying on my part, he agreed so here goes. (In no particular order):-

Orchid - "Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow!". When an album starts with a track like Destination: Blood it's hard to put it down. The aggression displayed on this record has stuck with me for years!

Charles Bronson - "Youth Attack!". Everything Mark McCoy puts his mind to ends up pretty bloody good! This record is full of tasty stop-start action and it's fast as hell!

Thursday - "Full Collapse". Geoff Rickly has a special place in my heart so a Thursday album was bound to be in this list. "Waiting" is also a cracking album, but y'know Understanding In A Car Crash is the jam.

We Came Out Like Tigers - "Agelessness & Lack". Blackened screamo is a wonderful thing and WCOLT were a beautiful example of this. This record is solid throughout and hits you with waves of noise that flawlessly flow into cold clean tones and violin. Who doesn't want that in their life?

Alexisonfire - "S/T". This album was massively influential to me growing up. To this day I'm still blown away by this record. I'm a big fan of the abstract, ambient sections used. The opening to Pulmonary Archery is my favourite example of this.

Beau Navire - "Life Moves". A record that truly gets you right in the feels! This is probably my favourite outing by the band. Although everything they've ever released is hella strong! I feel that this release kinda picks up where iwrotehaikusaboutcannibalisminyouryearbook left off.

PG99 - "Document #8". Classic noise! Heaps of emotion and oh so much power. I love the way this band layers the noise made by all 1000 members (okay there wasn't that many people in the band).

Capitalist Casualties - "Subdivisions In Ruin". This is another powerviolence classic. This band have been going for years and have tons of amazing releases. This record is one that firmly kicks me in the gut every time I put it on!

Daïtro - "Laisser Vivre Les Squelettes". Top tier 'Frenchmo'. This album is absolutely timeless and creates a vibe that only Daïtro can do! Pioneers of that French post-rock/screamo sound. Members from this band are amazingly talented having been in a ton of other influential bands as well.

At The Drive In - "In/Casino/Out". I've been a big fan of this band for the longest time. The way that they structure chords is out of this world. For years they've refined their own unique sound but "In/Casino/Out" is the album that defined it.

Saturday, 5 November 2016

Today is a strange day. The autumn sky is clear and blue but the wind is howling. That has absolutely nothing to do with this review but I often draw a blank when it comes to opening lines. As you've probably guessed already, this 7" isn't new. In fact it was the last release from Pittsburgh hardcore band Heartless. Released in 2013 via Halo Of Flies and Alerta Antifascista, it's now out of print. Heartless was one of those bands that put their heart and should into their music and went by the philosophy that “it was better to burn out than fade away”. They called it a day in September 2013, some four months after releasing “Certain Death”. They left behind a demo tape, a self-titled 7”, a split with The Blind and a full-length as well.

They just don’t seem to make hardcore like this anymore. Heartless just tore into opener Ruin. Full of metallic aggression. Unsewn’s thick riffs had more than a hint of sludge coursing through them and the grinding tempos left no place to hide. I still think that this blend of chaotic hardcore and noise is my favourite sub-genre and Vignette embodies it. The jarring feedback that ends that song and kicks off Wrung Out demonstrates the no nonsense attitude of the band. Excess was cleverly titled because it’s the EP’s shortest song. Mute’s slower tempo brought a break from the speed but only briefly. The latter half was a polar opposite, with explosive pace. Heartless seemed to be able to describe their sound accurately…Unhinged. The closing title-track was their epitaph and the perfect way end. “Certain Death” will remain a snapshot of a band at their peak, gone too soon.

You can still stream and download "Certain Death" and all previous releases via their bandcamp page below:-

Thursday, 3 November 2016

I'm going to use the next week or so as an opportunity to write about some releases that I've overlooked and some that are new. I'm sorry to say that I've overlooked this one from Russian black metal band Astarium. This EP was actually released in 2014 via Russian label Nihil Art Records with Dark East Productions, limited to 500 copies on cd. For those of you who have regularly stopped by the blog, you'll probably be familiar with Astarium but for those who're new; Astarium was created by sole-member SiN back in 2005 and he's been releasing ambient and symphonic black metal pretty steadily ever since. “Nekrocosmo: Demiurge” begins with an instrumental that is typical of Astarium. FlashBack is a heavy synth-led piece that shows of SiN’s love of symphonic atmosphere. Nonexistent Flower is a lot more haunting, with shuddering ambience sitting beneath the guitar and it’s feedback. SiN uses a drum machine to keep the tempo and an extra layer is added by his unique, near-gargled black metal vocals. I’m not sure whether Golem is inspired by the Lord Of The Rings character but it seems like the kind of song he would listen to. It’s tempo is rousing and it’s even slightly hypnotic thanks to the melody created by the guitar and orchestral synths. SiN brings the mood down to a calmer level with Enigma (Part II), which is another instrumental. Thankfully though it doesn’t loose any of the black metal atmosphere that’s been present on the EP so far. Astarium’s love of ambience rears it’s head again during EP closer Obsessed By Astral Hunger. Obsessed… is a majestic piece that could form the basis of a haunting waltz. SiN’s low, almost spoken vocals add to it’s menace as well. Over the years black metal has reinvented itself and even reverted back to it’s purest form through bands both old and new. Astarium carries the torch for bands such as Arcturus and Beherit, refusing to let the flame extinguish. This EP shows the band’s heart and sole.

This is the last part of my four review death metal series and while Halloween has been and gone, I thought I'd bring you some proper gore. US one-man brutal death whirlwind Phalloplasty has re-released their 2012 debut fill-length via Gore House Productions. Influenced by the likes of Cannibal Corpse and Putrid Pile (whose song Drenched In Gasoline gets covered here), Phalloplasty isn't pulling any punches musically or subject wise. Get ready to live and breathe your worst nightmare!

There’s no escaping the brutality of Phalloplasty. The rabid drum machine that kicks off opener Butchered For Sustenance and leads to buzzsaw guitar, as well as guttural roars and the obligatory pig squeals. Yes it’s hard to pick out the lyrics, but you don’t need to use much imagination to figure out their vibe. This is pretty much nasty death/grind and sometimes that’s alright. The Sick Room conjures up all kinds of images as its tempo slows to reveal putrid slams. This album does not hang about. Cannabis Induced Cannibalism (brilliant title) is three-and-a-half-minutes of mayhem. It may be maligned and joked about quite often amongst death metal fans but it’s still fun to listen to gore-grind and Liquefaction Necrosis proves why. Sole member Zack does create atmosphere and takes influence from the old-school during The Sadist Manifesto. It’s a welcome change, though it’s no less brutal. Bound And Bludgeoned is the fastest song on “Necrophagic Funeral…” and that tempo carries on into the affectionately titled Mastication Of Dead Cunts. It’s hard not to get mesmerised by the rhythmic pulses of Phalloplasty and coming from someone who isn’t a fan of programmed drums, that’s a compliment. Tenderizing Fetal Flesh has an inevitable air of Cannibal Corpse about it, but retains originality by sounding gloriously DIY. The harsh cold feel of Drill Bit Lobotomy is every bit as disturbing as the song-title suggests. It’s slam cut through you like a circular saw and it’s time-changes bury themselves in your synapse. You’ll have nightmare just think about the images conjured up by Intracranial Ejaculation, yet it’s riffs are amongst the best on the album. it’s hilarious to think about grizzly old death metal fans Curb Stompin The Scene Kids but we secretly hope it’ll happen someday! The album closes with a cover of Putrid Pile’s Drenched In Gasoline, which is quite fitting because depending on your stomach for extreme death metal, you’ll either want to set fire to others or yourself. I enjoyed this record, though parts of my review would suggest otherwise. It’s just a hard sub-genre to write about I guess. Zack puts great effort and skill into his music and that should be reason enough for you to give it try.

You can stream "Necrophagic Funeral Ritual Redux" and purchase a download below:-